Brachytherapy cancer treatment services begin at GMC Jammu

Jammu, Aug 21: Following PET scan services, the much awaited Brachytherapy services commenced at State Cancer Institute (SCI), Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu on Wednesday.

Brachytherapy is an advanced form of Radiation therapy treatment used for treatment of cancers including Gynaecological cancers, Oesophagus cancer.

The Radiation oncology team, headed by Prof Ashutosh Gupta, Principal GMC Jammu, who is himself a well-known Cancer specialist, performed first brachytherapy.

Describing it as a defining and a landmark day in the history of health care delivery in the Jammu region, Dr Ashutosh said, “The new machine, procured at a cost of Rs 6.5 Cr by J&K Medical Supply Corporation, is the latest generation brachytherapy machine by Eckert And Ziegler BEBIG GmbH (SagiNova).The model installed has highest NEMA sensitivity and quantitative accuracy which ultimately provides enhanced patient care, comfort and satisfaction.”

NEMA sensitivity is a measurement of the performance of Positron Emission Tomographs (PET) cameras.

GMC Principal said that Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Administrative Secretary, a medico himself, had been instrumental in making this high-end facility functional. Dr Abid, too, described commencement of brachytherapy as a “landmark achievement for not only GMC Jammu but also for the people of Jammu region who were suffering a lot due to non-availability of this vital facility - must to treat and monitor cancer patients.”

In all, a total of four brachytherapy patients were treated today.

The other team members from Radiation Oncology department included Dr Rahul Sharma, Professor and head Radiation Oncology; Dr Sandeep Kaur, Associate Professor; Dr S S Katoch, Assistant Professor; Sahil Gupta, Senior Physicist; Tinish Sehgal, Radiation Safety Officer; P A Rather, Junior Medical Physicist; Sheldon Dominic, Application Specialist from Germany; Survinder Kour Sudan besides other supportive staff.

Dr Deepak Kumar, Medical Superintendent of State Cancer Institute supervised the whole procedure. Dr Ashutosh said, “Brachytherapy treatment is totally free of cost under Ayushman Bharat Scheme in State Cancer Institute which itself is a very prestigious project funded by Government of India at a cost of Rs 104 Cr.”

“State Cancer Institute, GMC Jammu has made significant progress recently. The services to cancer patients including Cancer Chemotherapy, PET Scan, Brachytherapy, all high end diagnostic services like digital radiography, high-end ultrasound with colour doppler, trans-vaginal ultrasound, preventive oncology services etc are there. Very soon, the much sought after high-energy linear accelerator will be made functional for which the installation work is going on,” GMC Principal said.